Systems and Methods for Providing User Interface Features Associated with Distribution of Media Programs by Way of a Network of Media Vending Kiosks

1 . A method comprising:

detecting, by a media service system, an upcoming trip of a user to a media vending kiosk at which physical copies of a plurality of media programs are distributed;

determining, by the media service system based on a user activity history, a potential activity of the user;

determining, by the media service system, an optimization associated with the potential activity of the user and the upcoming trip of the user to the media vending kiosk; and

providing, by the media service system for display on a display screen, user interface content configured to notify the user of the optimization.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the user activity history includes information indicating how many media programs the user accessed from the media vending kiosk during a past trip to the media vending kiosk; and

the user interface content includes a notification recommending, to the user, a number of the plurality of media programs available at the media vending kiosk, the number of the plurality of media program selected based on how many media programs the user accessed from the media vending kiosk during the past trip to the media vending kiosk.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the detecting of the upcoming trip to the media vending kiosk comprises detecting an upcoming due date for return of a rented media program to the media vending kiosk;

the user activity history includes information indicating an additional media program identified as being of interest to the user; and

the user interface content includes a notification recommending that the user rent the additional media program identified as being of interest to the user from the media vending kiosk when the user returns the rented media program to the media vending kiosk.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the detecting of the upcoming trip to the media vending kiosk comprises detecting an upcoming due date for return of a rented media program to the media vending kiosk;

the user activity history includes information indicating an additional media program identified as being of interest to the user; and

the user interface content includes a notification recommending that the user return the rented media program to an additional media vending kiosk instead of the media vending kiosk based on the additional media program identified as being of interest to the user being available at the additional media vending kiosk.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising prioritizing, by the media service system for display in a kiosk information view on the display screen, a presentation of information related to the additional media vending kiosk in the kiosk information view based on the additional media program identified as being of interest to the user being available at the additional media vending kiosk.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the optimization includes determining that an optimization relationship exists between the upcoming trip of the user to the media vending kiosk and the potential activity of the user.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the determining that the optimization relationship exists includes determining an availability of an additional media program that is of interest to the user at the media vending kiosk.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the determining that the optimization relationship exists includes determining that the potential activity of the user is associated with a geographic area that is within a predefined proximity of a geographic location of the media vending kiosk.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the user interface content includes a notification recommending that the user conduct the potential activity at a specific geographic location that is within the geographic area.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user activity history includes information indicating that the media vending kiosk is a preferred media vending kiosk of the user.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the user activity history includes information indicating an additional preferred media vending kiosk of the user; and

the method further comprises providing, by the media service system for concurrent display in a kiosk information view on the display screen, information indicating an inventory of the preferred media vending kiosk and the additional preferred media vending kiosk.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the media service system for display in a kiosk information view on the display screen, a slidable user-selectable distance selector that is configured to be slidably manipulated by the user to indicate a maximum geographic distance that an additional media vending kiosk can be from the media vending kiosk and still be represented on a geographical map provided for display in the kiosk information view.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the user activity history includes information indicating an additional media program identified as being of interest to the user; and

the user interface content includes a proposed checkout cart populated with the additional media program identified as being of interest to the user.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the media service system to the user, a notification of kiosk activity that includes at least one of:

a notification that a media program has been returned to the media vending kiosk by another user;

a notification that a media program identified as being of interest to the user is now available at the media vending kiosk; and

a notification that there is a low inventory of a media program at the media vending kiosk.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the media service system, that a media program included in the plurality of media programs has been available at the media vending kiosk for a length of time satisfying a predefined time threshold;

determining, by the media service system, that the media program has a popularity satisfying a predefined popularity threshold; and

providing, by the media service system in response to the determining that the media program has been available at the media vending kiosk for the length of time satisfying the predefined time threshold and the determining that the media program has the popularity satisfying the predefined popularity threshold, a notification of a status of the media program for display on the display screen.

16 . The method of claim 1 , embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

17 . A method comprising:

detecting, by a media service system, an upcoming trip of a user to a media vending kiosk at which physical copies of a plurality of media programs are distributed;

determining, by the media service system based on a user activity history, a potential activity of the user;

determining, by the media service system, an optimization associated with the potential activity of the user and the upcoming trip of the user to the media vending kiosk; and

providing, by the media service system and for display on a display screen, user interface content configured to notify the user of the optimization and recommend that the user go to a specific geographic location to conduct the potential activity.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the determining of the potential activity of the user includes accessing information included in a calendar associated with the user.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the specific geographic location includes a place of business associated with the potential activity and located within a predefined proximity of a geographic location of the media vending kiosk.

20 . The method of claim 17 , embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

21 . A system comprising:

a physical computer processor;

a kiosk feature management facility that directs the physical computer processor to

detect an upcoming trip of a user to a media vending kiosk at which physical copies of a plurality of media programs are distributed,

determine, based on a user activity history, a potential activity of the user, and

determine an optimization associated with the potential activity of the user and the upcoming trip of the user to the media vending kiosk; and

a user interface facility that directs the physical computer processor to

provide, for display on a display screen, user interface content configured to notify the user of the optimization.